Orphaned
by ajb1991
Summary: A young orphan by the name of Jude sets out on his Pokemon adventure with his fellow orphan Sam. With her help and support they leave orphan life behind at the age of 17 & 18.
1. Saffron City Orphanage

As the sun sprawled out into an early morning yawn, Saffron city was bathed in what could only be described as flowing gold. The many occupants of the soon to be bustling city were just now stirring into motion. Mountains to the East painted the sky in hues that were reminiscent of a slow burning flame; waltzing across the city skyline as if to turn the entire city to ash.

Home to the transregional magnet train the city easily lays claim to Kanto's capitol of commerce. With two gyms sharing the territory it's no wonder the city garnered such a healthy economy. Sharing a balance of trainers and merchants, it has certainly become a cultural melting pot.

Slowly but surely the city began to wake; as if the people were cogs of a well oiled machine, people and pokemon spilled out into the streets rushing to and fro. The last of these buildings to be illuminated was the Ketchum Charity Orphanage(fully funded by Kanto's very own celebrity trainer Ash Ketchum) in the South end. A certain excitement could be found inside the walls of this particular building that early morning.

Outside the double doors stood a young man whose face was shadowed by an all too familiar pokemon league cap. "Ten years Pikachu, can you believe we built this place ten years ago?".

Meanwhile on the top level a young boy by the name of Jude was getting dressed with all the haste he could muster. Three quick, albeit irritated knocks rang into his room followed by a rushed female voice, "Jude! Hurry up! Ash is here and we're going to miss him if you don't get a move on!". "I'm coming Sam, just hold on a seco-" buttoning his shirt while stumbling out the door Jude tripped over his fully packed suitcase near the door.

Giggling at her mess of a friend Sam helped Jude to his feet and pulled him down the hall toward the elevator. Jude was seventeen, dark haired and relatively lean. His hair lay lopped over to one end and shaved close up the sides. His brown eyes sat placid behind a pair of large black rimmed glasses. His features betrayed a deeper more pensive heart than his ear to ear grin suggested. Sam on the other hand was a well endowed girl eighteen years in age. Blue hair adorned her subtle features and gathered about her shoulders in a messy but attractive combination. Hey eyes mimicked a blue sky on a perfect day and matched her slight smile and overall demeanor flawlessly.

As Sam dragged Jude into the elevator her smile deepened into dimples on her pale skin, "Are you ready?" she asked. A smug grin was all she received in reply.


	2. Partners

Sam and Jude spilled out of the elevator into the commotion of the main entrance. It seems Ash and Pikachu had barely made it two steps in the front door before they were seemingly mauled by the onslaught of children. In the classic display of boy like wonder he had become known for, he simply grinned that same old smile as he waded through the sea of excitement.

"Ash!" Sam had nearly cleared the entire distance to him in one stride. An electrical sounding squeak could barely be heard over the din as Pikachu became the source of the younger crowd's antics. Sam and Jude were by far and away the eldest of the orphanage; in fact they were among the first to arrive nearly ten years ago. As Ash gained more prowess and renown, he had garnered a small fortune before he was even old enough to drive. At age fifteen he had started this orphanage in hopes of providing a home and hope for those who didn't. Sam had never met her parents; all she knew was her mother had given her up for adoption at birth and left the very next morning. Jude on the other hand came from a rather broken home. His mother had left his father before he could even speak. His father had done his best in the subsequent years between struggling poverty and scattered work; one day however Jude woke up and he was gone.

The three sets of eyes met and the room fell silent. No words were exchanged for what felt like ages; all eyes were fixated on the trio. From inside his jacket Ash pulled out two untarnished famously yellow and black pokeballs paired with two genuine generation 5 Oak Pokedex's. His grin grew wider as he gestured toward the two newcomers "Go ahead you two, you have both waited long enough".

Sam's eyes drifted from the gifts to Ash over and over; while Jude held back his pent up excitement in a downward stare. "Sam, it took me a long time to make up my mind on a partner for you. Now I couldn't think of a better fit" tossing the yellow and black container into the air a long and slender creature began to appear. Offering up an airy yawn Sam's new Dratini quickly nestled around her ankles. Between choked tears of thanks Sam replied in all but a whisper "Oh Ash...I...you're...thank you...so much".

"Hey Jude! Catch!" and with a quiet harmless thud the pokeball rolled off the top of the still downward staring Jude. As the creature from this marvel of technology started to appear Jude couldn't help but run through every pokemon he imagined was inside. "Charizard picked him out of the brood himself; I think you two will make quite the team," and there he was, Charmander rushed to his side without a moments hesitation uttering a reptilian croak of affirmation. It was only then Jude lifted his eyes enough for Ash to notice a solitary tear before Jude swiped it away. "Ash, I will never be able to thank you enough".

[More to come]


End file.
